The Miami Heat are coming down the stretch with nothing but misplaced defensive values.
The moment word broke that Andrew Wiggins was unhappy with his role as the third wheel in the Minnesota Timberwolves offense, Miami Heat fans perked up. Addressing the desperation for something like a “whale” is a few months away though.
In the meantime, the Heat need to tackle an issue that has plagued them over the last 18 games—defense.
If you watch any NBA broadcast with Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, a myriad of catchphrases are thrown at you. But one that sticks out is Jackson’s ode to poor defense. It goes something like “hand down, man down.” Meaning if your guard is not up, shots are going to get knocked down.
To say that Miami has been seeing a lot of anything other than these scenarios, would be a stretch.
The simplest thing to do would be to look at the Heat’s last game against the Sacramento Kings and say that they definitely miss Hassan Whiteside. A sentiment that rings particularly strong after giving up 58-points in the paint, on 51.1 percent shooting. However, the easy way does not cut it.
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Whiteside was absent for the previous three games, but what about the total 18?
At the moment, Miami is ranked as the fourth best defense in the league when it comes to giving up points (102.6 per game). Over the last two months, the Heat have given up an average of 107.7 points per game. An average that drops the team in a spot tied for 18th with the Charlotte Hornets and Golden State Warriors.
No offense to either team, but neither is a defensive juggernaut. They rely more on outscoring their opponents—107.3 and 115.7 points per game respectively. Which is more than the 102.6 points the Heat put up.
Defense has been a staple of the Heat since Pat Riley brought his ugly, physical New York Knicks style to South Beach in the mid-90’s. For better or worse, that identity seems shaken at the wrong time of the season.
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With 13 games left before the playoffs, Miami’s focus should be aimed at shoring up the defensive end. And that starts tonight, by not giving up another 131 points against the Los Angeles Lakers.